The ALL NEW Big Wakeup Call with Ryan Gatenby

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Author Jacqueline Friedland’s books have been called ferociously insightful, wholly engrossing and unputdownable! Her newest is Counting Backward, which is being called "An Erin Brockovich for our times."

Next month, she delivers her most thought-provoking book yet with: COUNTING BACKWARD. This “ripped-from-the-headlines story is an Erin Brockovich for our times.”

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I had a fun chat with author Tanisia Moore about her new book for children (and parents, too) "Wash Day Love."

Tanisia Moore views writing as her avenue for giving hope, sharing life's lessons, and sparking imaginations. Her companion picture books I Am My Ancestors' Wildest Dreams and When Black Girls Dream Big empower young readers to dream and live big, and remind them of their strength and potential. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband and three young children. Learn more at tanisiamoore.com 

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Tom Carroll is the writer director of “The Stress is Killing Me,” which is now available to rent/own on all North American digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms.  He is also the director or “Big Bad Budget,” which aired on PBS stations nationwide, and the writer director of “Who Stole the Tasmanian Devils?” Tom is also the author of several novels, including “The Dogs Who Play Baseball,” “Young and Dumb”, and “Lawrence and the Ant Colony,” and the play “Churchill’s Finest Hour.”  

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Annasophia Robb of The CW's Carrie Diaries discusses her new film DOWN A DARK HALL.  (From 8-17-18)

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MLB Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt called into talk about his serious battle with skin cancer (Stage 3 Melanoma) and a new initiative from CancerCare, "Your Cancer Game Plan."  It was also a thrill to talk to Mike about baseball memories of him always destroying my Cubs and his thoughts on whether the Cubs can repeat.

(From 9-20-17)

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Lauded by David Baldacci, Karin Slaughter, and Stephen King, among others "The Oligarch's Daughter" by Joseph Finder is already on the bestseller list. The hero, Paul Brightman, is a regular finance guy who by accident falls in love with an Oligarch’s daughter. The U.S. intelligence community traps him into spying on his father-in-law and his activities. 

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Celebrated New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry returns to the show to discuss the latest installment in his wildly popular Cotton Malone series—now in development as a streaming series. The Medici Return takes Cotton to Italy to solve a five hundred year-old mystery. 

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Jim Jefferies is coming to the Vic Theater in Chicago for two stand-up shows being taped for a new special.  We discuss the state of the world, the state of comedy, and the state of our minds.

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Renowned rock and roll photographer Mick Rock, who has taken iconic photographs of David Bowie, Queen, Sex Pistols, Iggy Pop, Ramones, and especially Lou Reed, called in to discuss a limited-edition book of pictures and stories, Transformer, out now to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the LP that, with the magic help of David Bowie and Mick Ronson, launched Lou Reed into the hero status we know today. We only had 10 minutes for the interview, but I could listen to Mick tell Reed and Bowie stories all day. Mick sadly passed away in 2021 at age 72.

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Marg Helgenberger called in to talk about her movie, "Almost Friends" as well as her play "What We're Up Against." Plus: Chicago geography and filming in Alabama in the summer -- on purpose. (From 11-14-17)